1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to agricultural implements, and, more particularly, to agricultural field tillage implements.
2. Description of the Related Art
Farmers utilize a wide variety of tillage implements to prepare soil for planting. Some such implements include two or more sections coupled together to perform multiple functions as they are pulled through the fields by a tractor, for example, a cultivator/harrow which is capable of simultaneously tilling and leveling the soil in preparation for planting. This implement includes a cultivator that is towed by a tractor in a harrow that is towed by the cultivator.
In one type of tilling operation, rows or gangs of circular disk blades are pulled through the soil at variable depths to break up clods or lumps of soil, as well as old plant material to provide a more amenable soil structure for planting and to level the soil surface. The gangs of disks are arranged on frames that extend generally laterally with respect to the direction of movement through a field and more particularly are angled with respect to the direction of movement.
As tillage operations have been developed to be more efficient, the implements are being called upon to operate in evermore increasing extremes of conditions. At the same time, the tillage implements are being expanded in size to provide greater efficiency in processing the soil. Tillage implements are expected to operate in more adverse conditions such as rocky soil.
With conditions such as described above, the resilient mounting of the gangs of disk blades, for example by C-shaped resilient elements, may be stressed beyond their elastic limit. This can cause deformation and with time cause premature inoperativeness of the support.
What is needed in the art therefore is a way to reliably limit the deflection of resilient supports for disk blades in implements of the above type.